#00065046

Blood smear for a female patient displays two drumsticks in two neutrophils. Drumstick can be described as a chromatin mass linked to main nucleus by a fine chromatin thread (red arrow).

It represents the inactivated X-chromosome that happens when cell contains more than one X-chromosome likewise in normal females (XX). It is found typically in 2-3% of leukocytes.

X-chromosome is inactivated by Xist gene and the inactivation process can occur to any of the existing X-chromosome randomly during embryo development.